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Saturday, May 09, 2015

This and that

A few weeks ago, partially because I've been meaning to for years and partially because I'm trying to forestall any potential issues when I quit my job soon, I took out a legal insurance. These are fairly common here and the peace of mind I have had ever since I sent off the paperwork has actually surprised me. I took out a policy that has a 250 euro deductible and will probably change it in a couple of years to a different option which has a higher deductible (400) which reduces over a number of years if no claims are made. I wanted the fixed, lower deductible for the first while just in case I do end up having any issues around leaving work. It's probably not likely but I prefer to err on the side of caution.

I knew the bill for that insurance would be coming in (224 euro for the year) and put the money aside in my savings account. When it actually arrived, I simply paid it out of my current account and thought I could simply move the money from my savings account over to the current account. So far, though, I've been sitting on doing that. Currently, I have enough money left in my current account to cover the rest of the bills due this month plus about 10 euro. If I cancel my plan to start an investment savings account until next month I have 60 euro. This should be doable but only if I am very careful to bring lunches to work every day and so on. We'll see. If it's not working out, I can simply transfer the money from my savings account and use that. So, no need to stress or start spending money just because I can't.

I'm nearly finished my first proof-reading job. It has taken longer than I anticipated but I am trying to be extremely careful (and it's an incredibly boring topic, for me anyway) and do a good job. I need to make it to the bank next week to open a separate account so that I can keep this and any other money from side-gigs separate. I also need to check with the tax office to make sure I do anything I'm required to do from their point of view. As my income from this kind of thing won't be very high, I should need to get a VAT number or anything but better to be informed in advance.

I cut my own hair for the second time this week. The ponytail method still isn't the best for my hair but honestly, it's good enough for now. If I ever find the time and inclination I might try some of the curly hair options I find online but until then, it's great to not be thinking I'll need to fork out fifty euro or so shortly for a haircut.

I'm headed to Dublin at the beginning of June and will be walking the Dublin Women's Mini-Marathon (10km). I did almost no walking last week but am planning a long cycle tomorrow morning and then back to full speed on the training plan from Monday.

I've been having a gynaecological issue (ovarian cyst) and after observing for a few months with no changes one way or the other the doctor finally decided to try a treatment and so for the last two weeks I've been taking hormone tablets (similar to the Pill but with just one specific hormone). Since this problem started I've been having issues with mood swings anyway but now I'm spotty, too. And unbelievably bloated. I hate hormones and am glad there's only one day left. Hopefully everything will start working properly again after all that.

Plus side: free ultrasound this year, since it's been needed for medical reasons rather than just as an extra preventative measure.

Less plus side: must remember to only schedule internal ultrasounds for later in the day in future 'cos those things get cold overnight and yelping followed by a fit of the giggles is not really the way to behave when the doctor is probing your insides.

I finished reading Quiet last week and have so many pages marked to go back to I might as well just read the whole thing all over again. But I need to finish In the Name of the Rose first, which I have been reading on my Kindle for months. Cycling to work almost every day means I lose that few minutes of time every day that I used to use for reading.

My Kindle has started to give up the ghost and keeps rebooting itself. Need to dig out the extended insurance policy and see if I'm still within the term.

I was randomly selected to take part in a long-term health study and have agreed to participate. It sounds interesting. My first appointment should be in a few weeks and will involve about six hours of interviews and filling out questionnaires, blood samples being taken and so on. Then, every two or three years for the next thirty years (or until I die), I'll be sent follow-up questionnaires.

I really want to buy some crisps and chocolate but I'm still in my pyjamas and really don't want to have to get washed and dressed and go outside. I'm trying to decide if I have the energy to bake something. It's that kind of a day.

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About Me

Fortysomething living in Germany since 2008. When not struggling with depression I'm trying to get rid of the last of some stupidly incurred debt and move my way towards a more independent life. One in which I know how to do most things for myself and am not reliant on paying others/shops just to cover the basics of life.
Yes, I blog anonymously. No, I don't always reply to comments - not because I don't appreciate them, just because sometimes it's too much, sometimes I just have nothing to say, sometimes just because - please don't take it personally.